Game 4: Lakers 93, Spurs 91

SAN ANTONIO – It was either a mess of uncalled fouls or just the sort of intense scrum it naturally should be when one is trying to wrestle away another's belt.

When it was over, the young Lakers had a firm hand on what reigning NBA champion San Antonio is wearing and a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. The Lakers, who survived a mental error by Kobe Bryant that gave San Antonio the ball with 2.1 seconds left and a chance to tie or win, can qualify for the NBA Finals on Thursday night at Staples Center. On the last play, San Antonio's Brent Barry didn't jump into an airborne Derek Fisher -- a foul call would've produced three foul shots -- and instead regathered himself for a buzzer-beating flip 3-pointer that missed.

The Lakers got a big fourth quarter from Lamar Odom after Bryant's big third quarter. Manu Ginobili didn't score until he got two free throws with 1:32 left in the third quarter to cut the Lakers' lead to 71-70. But the Lakers answered with a pivotal 6-0 run to end the period: Bryant's dunk, Ginobili's pull-up miss, Jordan Farmar's great hanging setup for Sasha Vujacic's four-point play and then Pau Gasol's inside stop on Tim Duncan.

Bryant nodded simply at Gasol as he came off the court with a 77-70 lead to show his approval for the dirty work Gasol was doing against Duncan, who faded late. Gasol kept doing it early in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers never led San Antonio take the lead. And Lamar Odom's big three-point play – uncharacteristically driving to his right after Bryant gave up the ball rather than pushing his solo action against Bowen – gave the Lakers an 85-79 lead with 3:51 left.

NOTHING FOR FREE

Bryant still was unable to get to the foul line, shaking his head in disbelief three separate times in the third quarter – but still able to hit shots despite the contact he felt. Bryant had 10 third-quarter points.

PRACTICE MAKES …

Odom was almost perfect from the foul line after doing extra work to prepare after his 3-for-8 effort in Game 3. He made 8 of 9, including 3 of 4 down the stretch.

DOG POUND

Phil Jackson said before the game that Fisher helped come up with a running joke within the team where each player is a kind of dog that needs to be handled differently while trying to share a team-first attitude. Jackson said, for example, that Jordan Farmar was “our poodle.” Asked about Bryant, Jackson said with a smile: “Top dog.”

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